Improvement in piano-fortes



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HIRAM HERRIOK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS IMPROVEMENT IN PIANO-FORTES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,073, dated July `21,1368.

To all whom it may coiiccm:

Be it known that I, HIRAM HERRICK, ot' Boston, in the county ot' Sutfolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and uselnl Improvementin Piano-Fortes; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully describedin the following specification and represented in the accompanyingdrawings, of which- Figure l is a top view ot' a piano-forte with thelid removed provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a'transverse sectionof it with the lid in place. Fig.3 is a front elevation ofthe piano asopen-that is, with its upper frame, soundin g-board, and strings raisedotl` the action and into vertical positions.

AIn carrying out my improvement I arrange the sounding-board, thewrest-pin block, and the bridges underneath the iron frame and above thestrings. I also arrange the iron frame, the sounding-board, thewrest-pin block, and the strings and the action in two separate cases,hinged together, so as to'enable the said "iron framc, sounding-board.and strings to be turned up or oi the action, so as to uncover it andbring the strings into a convenient position to enable access to be hadto either of them. I also not only insert the straining, tuning, orwrest pins through the iron frame, so that their heads or ends to whichthe tuning-key is applied may project upward from the frame and thelower ends of such pins may project downward from the frame and wrestpinblock, but I apply the strings to those parts of the said pins whichproject belowthe wrest-pin block. Furthermore, [combine with each stringand its tuning-pin one or more auxiliary adjusters, as hereinafterdescribed, the purpose of such heilig to enable the string to be tunedto a nicer degree than by its tuning pin or pins.

From the above it will be seen that I have `in some respects reversedthe usual mode of constructing piano-fortes. I have found that the toneemitted from the back of a soundingboard is much fuller and purer thanthat from y the side next the strings, and therefore in ont thenecessity of carrying any -part of it through the iron frame orsounding-board. This enables the iron frame to be braced in any manneras strongly as may be desirable without interfering with any of theparts below it. As no part of the iron frame goes below the strings, thehammers can be arranged at equal distances asunder, without breaksbetween them, as heretofore has 'been required in the ordinaryconstruction ot' piano-fortes.

In the drawings the piano-case is represented as formed in two cases, AB, one of which is placed on the other, and both are hinged together attheir rear sides, as shown at a a in Fig. 3. 4

In the drawings I have shown but one key, b, with its y c, hammer d, anddamper e in a co ntracted 'or distorted state to what they would be inpractice.`

The action is wholly arranged within the lower case, B. j

Within the upper case, A, to which the cover or lid G is hinged, Iarrange the iron frame D, the sounding-board E, and the wrest-pin blockF, the bridges Gr H, the hitch-pin plate I, and the strings K. The ironframe is directly over the sounding-board and the bridges and strn gsare placed underneath such board.

One ot' the hitch-pins is shown atf and two of the tuning-pins are shownat g g. These pins go through theiron frame D and the wrestpin block F,and project above the former and Ybelow the latter, the string beingwound on those parts of the tuning-pins which extend below the wrest-pinblock. The upper parts of the tuning-pins are to be made in theordinaryA way for reception of the tuningkey.

The auxiliary adjuster hereinbefore mentioned consists ot' a hook orrod, h, having a screw out on its upper part and a hook or eye at itslower part to embrace or receive the string. This adjuster extends upthrough the wrest-pin block and theiron frame and between the bridge andthe tuning-pin, and has a nut, i, screwed on that part of it whichextends above the said frame. Byscrcwing down the nutagainst the ironframe that part of the string which is between the bridge and thetuning-pin will be drawn up and bent out of a rightline, so as toincrease the tension of the string. By such auxiliary means of producingtension of the string the latter may be tuned to much better advantagethan by the tuning-pin alone.

I claim as my invention the following-that is to say: f

1. The improved .arrangement of the sound- 3. The combination oftheauxiliary adjuster with the string, the tuning-pin, and bridge.

4f.k The improved arrangement of the tuningpins with the strings and thewrest-pin block, or the saine and the iron frame, the tuning-pin, undersneh arrangement, having its head to extend from one side of the saidbleek, and having the string applied to the part which projects from theother side of the block, the whole being substantially as set forth.

IRAM BERRIOK.

Witnesses:

R.' H'. EDDY, F. P. HALE, J r.

